Niger govt to spend N13bn on Bobi grazing reserve

NIGER State government has said that its comprehensive development plan to bring Bobi grazing reserve in Marita Local Government Area of the State to life would cost not less than about N13 billion.

The state government had recently developed a 10 years development plan for the 30,000 hectares grazing reserve located in Oroh, near Kampani Bobi community in Mariga local government of the state.

The State  Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development,  Alhaji Haruna Nuhu Dukku  stated this in conjunction with his counterpart, Commissioner for  Livestock and Fisheries, Alhaji Zakari Bawa Bala,  during an interactive session with newsmen recently  in Minna, saying that “works on the grazing reserve would commence in earnest after a flag off by President Muhammadu Buhari at a date which would be announced very soon.

According to the Commissioner, the report of the committee set up for a comprehensive development blueprint for the reserve has gotten the nod of the Federal Government and other partners who have shown keen  interest in the project.

They explained that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also indicated interest in supporting  the Multi- Billion Naira reserve project, which would boast of modern abattoir and meat packaging center, yogurt making factory and other agro allied industries.

They noted that the reserve would boast of infrastructure such as pasture, electricity, water, schools, roads, hospitals, earth dams and other facilities.

According to them, “the state government has already commenced works on the access roads, veterinary clinic and police station, while works on boreholes around the  existing communities within the reserve are near completion”.

The two top government officials also averred that  the state government was  considering the enforcement of cattle tax system for security purposes, adding that the tax regime will help in monitoring those who reside within the grazing reserve area.

“We have to as part of our programme,  put in place the system to monitor and one thing we are considering eventhough we have not concluded yet,  is the tax system.

“The tax system is good even for security purposes and that will allow us to monitor who and who resides within the grazing reserve,” they explained.

They however warned those using parts of the large expanse of  land for farming,  to desist from using the area already gazetted for the grazing reserve in order to avoid a clash between them and herdsmen.